PSAT Critical Reading : Parts of Speech in One-Blank Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading
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Example Questions
Example Question #863 : Sentence Completion
The unlabelled milk proved to be so __________ that I had a stomachache for the rest of the day after cleaning out the refrigerator.
knotty
unsatisfactory
counterfeit
monstrous
noxious
noxious
The answer is "noxious" since the subject of the sentence got a stomachache after coming in contact with the "harmful and toxic" milk.
Example Question #21 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
The colors were faded, the performers seemed tired, and the music played on a repetitive loop; on the whole, it was a rather __________ performance.
fastidious
feasible
pretentious
lucrative
lackluster
lackluster
Lackluster is correct because it means dull or lacking in brilliance. We know from the first part of the sentence that the blank should contain a negative adjective, so feasible and lucrative don't work. Pretentious describes something or someone who wants to be regarded as impressive, and fastidious describes a person who is careful and meticulous. Neither describe a falling-apart performance.
Example Question #22 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Harry tried to blend in with the crowd, but he had forgotten about the bright pink bow on his head, which made him look particularly __________.
impervious
enthused
conciliatory
conspicuous
fanatic
conspicuous
Conspicuous is the correct answer because it means to stand out or be more visible. Enthused or fanatic are other adjectives that might fit wearing a bright pink bow, but the conspicuous contrasts well with how he "tried to blend in with the crowd."
Example Question #865 : Sentence Completion
"Oh, but I liked young Harry," exclaimed Sue's grandmother. "He was so charming and __________!"
brusque
valuable
volatile
winsome
solid
winsome
Winsome is correct because it means attractive or handsome. We know it has to be something that is positive because it is paired with "charming." Brusque and volatile are both negative adjectives and can be eliminated.
Example Question #863 : Sentence Completion
His mother said dismissively that the film was full of __________ violence, but Fred liked all the blood and gore.
shrewd
gruesome
gratuitous
bewitching
captivating
gratuitous
Because of the "but" in the sentence, we know that the mother's opinion of the violence should contrast with Fred's. Since Fred liked it, the mother didn't, and the blank calls for a negative adjective. Gruesome and gratuitous are the options we have left. We can eliminate gruesome because it is not often that someone speaks "dismissively" of something that grosses them out. Gratuitous works best because it means uncalled for or unjustified.
Example Question #861 : Sentence Completion
The __________ soccer player returned to training after her third ACL surgery and difficult recovery.
tenacious
opulent
restrained
wary
impetuous
tenacious
Since this was her third surgery, the soccer player must be stubbornly persistent, or "tenacious" in returning to training once again after a difficult recovery.
Example Question #864 : Sentence Completion
Many actors spend their entire lives chasing after the __________ high that is associated with being onstage in front of an audience.
jubilant
ephemeral
divergent
frugal
exemplary
ephemeral
"Ephemeral" works best here since a high is a temporary rush of euphoric emotions, which can only last so long before disappearing, making it temporary.
Example Question #865 : Sentence Completion
The college freshman considered her dorm room very __________ after sharing a room with her three sisters all her life.
arid
florid
frugal
enervating
capacious
capacious
Because she had shared a room with her three sisters all her life, she was probably accustomed to a cramped and small living space. Thus, the dorm room must seem very large, or "capacious," to her.
Example Question #871 : Sentence Completion
Once a boring part of town life, the town meeting was now __________ with tension after the high school controversy.
mundane
provacative
fraught
reclusive
prosaic
fraught
The best answer is "fraught," which means "filled with," and captures the transformation of the town meeting from boredom to tension.
Example Question #571 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
The seemingly __________ puppy never tired, even after several vigorous hours of play.
volatile
satirical
uninhibited
heretical
indefatigable
indefatigable
"Indefatigable" means incapable of being tired out, or never tired.
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